March 2021

This month's newsletter contains funding opportunities, NRCS program updates, an opportunity to learn about agricultural mapping in Washington, and a revised "bills to watch" list showing legislation that is still alive this session.

Events

Agricultural Land Use Mapping in Washington State

In this webinar, Joel Demory from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) will summarize the WSDA Agricultural Land Use Mapping Program. The presentation will cover a variety of topics including how to access and make the most of WSDA’s mapping data, examples of how WSDA and other statewide entities use the data, how the data is used at the federal level, and the future of land use mapping. The webinar is Thursday, April 15 from 9:00-10:30 AM. Registration information is available here.

Northwest Land Camp

The biennial conference hosted by the Washington Association of Land Trusts and the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts is virtual this year. Land Camp focuses on relationship building, peer learning, and dynamic and interactive workshops to further the work of Northwest land trusts and conservationists. The conference offers more than 40 digital workshops with sessions each Thursday in June. Conference and registration information is available here.

Economic Impact of Farmland Protection & Local Food Systems

This course from the Harbinger Consultancy focuses on how to determine and communicate the economic effects of farmland protection and food system programs. Registration information is available here.

Resources

Land Ethic Mentorship

With support from a United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Collaboration Grant, the Sand County Foundation is offering a free conservation mentoring program for beginner, military veteran, or disadvantaged farmers. More information is available here.

Soil Health Conference Presentations

The Washington State University Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (WSU CSANR) Soil Health Conference this past February drew over 1,000 participants from around the world. If you missed out or want to re-watch any presentations, they’re all available on the CSANR YouTube Channel.

Updates to Federal Conservation Easement Program

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released the final rule for its Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which enables agricultural producers and private landowners to protect farmlands, grasslands, and wetlands with conservation easements. The rule updates ACEP as directed by the 2018 Farm Bill and incorporates public comments made on an interim rule. More information on the update is available in this USDA News Release.  

New Rule Improves Partner Flexibility in Regional Conservation Partnership Program

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the final rule for its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The rule updates USDA's partner-driven program as directed by the 2018 Farm Bill and integrates feedback from agricultural producers and others. More information on the update is available in this USDA News Release.

Funding Opportunities

Value Added Producer Grants

The United States Department of Agriculture's Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income. Independent producers, agricultural producer groups, farmer- or rancher-cooperatives, and majority-controlled producer-based business ventures, as defined in the program regulation, are eligible to apply for this program. Applications submitted via Grants.gov must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern time on April 29. Paper applications must be postmarked by May 4. More information on the grant and how to apply is available here.

Conservation Partners Program

The Conservation Partners Program (CPP) is soliciting funding proposals to provide technical assistance to producers on working lands. The program will award approximately $3.8 million in grants in 2021 to support the adoption of conservation practices or regenerative agriculture principles on working lands. Details about this funding opportunity are provided in the Request for Proposals. The CPP is a collaborative effort between the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), General Mills, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The submission deadline for pre-proposals is April 6, 2021.

Bills to Watch

• 2SSB 5045, Establishing a state meat and poultry inspection program
• E2SHB 1099, Improving the state's climate response through updates to the state's comprehensive planning framework
• SHB 1298, Concerning regulation of accessory dwelling units located outside of urban growth areas
• SSB 5126, Concerning the Washington climate commitment act
• E2SSB 5141, Implementing the recommendations of the environmental justice task force
• 2SSB 5253, Implementing the recommendations of the pollinator health task force
• ESSB 5275, Enhancing opportunity in limited areas of more intense rural development

Agriculture in the News

Land Access

• Young Farmers Face A Barrier Their Parents Didn’t: Student Loan Debt (NPR)

Farmland Protection

• Local, national organizations pool resources to conserve 1,000 acres of local farmland (USDA Press Release)

COVID-19

• Farm, Food Workers Lagging When It Comes to COVID Vaccinations (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
• COVID-19 even affects apples: Washington farm exports crimped by cargo-container shortage (The Seattle Times)

State Legislature

• WA ranchers struggling to meet demand during COVID pandemic closer to relief (Tri-City Herald)
• Warnick’s Bill Aimed At Boosting Meat Production Clears State Senate (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
• Washington Senate passes diluted environmental justice bill (Capital Press)
• Lights out for bill to let Washington counties nix solar panels on farms (Capital Press)
• Bill to create fund to battle wildfires passes Washington state House (KING 5)
• Washington State Senate passes bill that would remove overtime exemption for ag workers (Yakima Herald)

Federal Government

• Agriculture Responds to Senate Passage of $1.9T COVID-19 Package (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
• Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Senate Passage of the American Rescue Plan Act (USDA Press Release)
• Newhouse: The Return of Vilsack Good News For Northwest Ag (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)
• Relief bill is most significant legislation for Black farmers since Civil Rights Act, experts say (The Washington Post)
• After Decades of Discrimination Lawmakers Propose Justice for Black Farmers (Harvest Public Media)
• Biden’s immigration proposal renews calls for farm labor reforms (Capital Press)
• Schrier Introduces Bill to Reduce Methane Emissions in Cow Burps (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)

Climate

• AFBF: Farming Continues To Perform When it Comes To Carbon Sequestration (Pacific Northwest Ag Network)

Markets

• WSU economist: Washington farmers expected to see lower revenue, flat wheat prices in 2021 (The Spokesman Review)
• Carbon Is A New Cash Crop For Some Farmers (Harvest Public Media)
• ITC decision goes against U.S. blueberry growers (Lynden Tribune)
• Cosmic Crisp apple price plunges; COVID-19 hinders in-store marketing (Capital Press)

Water

• Water supply forecast is the best the Yakima Basin has seen in a decade (Yakima Herald)
• Second half of Columbia Basin Project completion depends on ‘political will’ (Capital Press)

Subscribe to the Farmland Preservation Monthly Newsletter, brought to you by the Office of Farmland Preservation. 

The Washington State Conservation Commission administers the Office of Farmland Preservation to address the rapid loss of working farm and forest lands in our state. Learn more: www.scc.wa.gov/ofp.